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What it means to be a student

students must be registered with the Medical Board of Australia. This will be done through their university

anyone can make a complaint about a student’s health

a student’s education provider, another practitioner or a medical employer must make a mandatory notification to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency if they are concerned the student’s health impairment places the public at substantial risk of harm or substantially impacts their ability to undertake clinical training

Getting help

Some students worry that if they seek help, it will cause problems for their future medical career. However, if you feel yourself becoming anxious or unwell, it is better to seek help early than to hope you will get better on your own. This is the best thing you can do to ensure your future success.

If a complaint is made ...

Complaints about medical students are referred to the Medical Council’s health pathway. The student is likely to be assessed and, if required, supported around their health needs with the aim of helping them return to study and/or clinical training as soon as possible.

Case study

The Council received a notification about a 22-year-old medical student who had been admitted to hospital following repeated acts of self-harm. The student entered the Council’s health program and was assessed by a Council-appointed psychiatrist. After reading the psychiatrist’s report, an Impaired Registrant’s Panel placed conditions on the student’s registration to ensure they accessed ongoing health treatment. The student’s medical studies were not affected. After making steady progress in both health treatment and at university, the student was able to work as an intern.